"Cobus Kruger" wrote in message
...
The ants are a non issue to the tree and probably more of a benefit than
anything else. With the coconut palm the trouble may be more where you
are trying to grow it. Not sure of elsewhere in the country but in
Florida I don't think I have seen them happily grow much further North
than Port Charlotte for example.

I think there is actually a town called Florida in South Africa but I
don't live anywhere near it :-) I have a couple of other palms in the yard
and they all do just fine - the one is probably almost three stories high!
Also, there is a healthy-looking fan palm about three metres (yards)
closer to the house.

I suspected the dreary look may have been caused by the insects because:
1. They seemed to be the only variable from the successful palms in the
yard.
2. They live on plant material (or don't they?)
3. I don't particularly like ants, so they seem to be a good scapegoat :-)

Are there any other good reasons why the tree would suffer? Perhaps it is
just in need of some fertilizer?

Yes -- palms have some pretty specific fertilizer requirements, especially
for potassium and minor elements (magnesium, manganese, boron). See
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG043 for overall information. Here in Florida
(USA) ants nests in palm trees are a common nuisance and not responsible for
tree health problems. "Lethal Yellowing" disease is the usual problem with
coconut palms here.

Not all palms do well in the same climate. If your climate is such that it
could approach 0 degrees C anytime in the winter, it's probably too cold for
a coconut palm, but possibly not for other varieties.